Liu Dongjia looked at him in disbelief, "Am I not hearing things? Are you sure you want to sell the winemaking recipe to me?"
Zhang Tieshan nodded, "How is the wine I make? You've tasted it for days, and the success of the business can also prove it. Furthermore, you know this craft is passed down through generations and rarely sold to outsiders. Therefore, you must offer a good price. Otherwise, if I spread the word, I believe many taverns in the city would be interested in my recipe."
Seeing that he was not joking, Liu Dongjia became serious and nodded repeatedly, "Naturally, this is a big deal. Let's sit down and discuss it properly."
Following that, Liu Dongjia gestured for him to proceed, and Zhang Tieshan, proud as a peacock, immediately led the way, walking unhesitatingly towards his study.
"Your study is decorated nicely, Dongjia. It shows you're wealthy and influential. It seems I've come to the right person today, someone who can afford my price." Zhang Tieshan said with a hint of jealousy as he surveyed the room.
"Not at all, not at all. Everything here looks elegant, but it's not actually that expensive. You must know whether running a tavern is profitable, Master Zhang. After all, you must have run a business on your own before coming here, or you wouldn't have this skill. May I ask if you've become rich?" Liu Dongjia frowned uncomfortably. He always felt a sense of arrogance from him as if he had gained an advantage. If the wine wasn't made by him, he strongly suspected the man had stolen someone else's recipe, as who would readily sell such a treasure? However, he also knew this was a fleeting opportunity and he had to seize it.
"Our small tavern back then, the business was indeed good, but we didn't earn much. The main reason was that we were in the countryside. How could we compare to you?" Zhang Tieshan was prepared to make a substantial profit today.
"My intention in talking with Master Zhang today is also to see how much silver you require. If the price is too high, I will be powerless, as I am only running a small business." Liu Dongjia, seeing that he considered him a pushover, quickly tried to set expectations.
"Don't worry, Dongjia can definitely afford it. I only want two thousand taels of silver." Zhang Tieshan stared at him without blinking. As he stated the amount, he was actually a little nervous, having never seen so much silver in his life.
"Can it be less? To be honest, that's more than all my savings." He could afford this price, but as a merchant, haggling was unavoidable.
"If Dongjia is unwilling to pay, I can find someone else." Zhang Tieshan immediately stood up. It wasn't that he didn't trust Liu Dongjia, but he suddenly regretted it. He hadn't even inquired with the large families or grand restaurants in the city; how could he know they wouldn't want it? Perhaps they would offer more.
Seeing that he was serious, Liu Dongjia quickly stepped forward and grabbed his hand, saying exasperatedly, "Why are you just leaving like this? Although I don't have that much silver, I can borrow it. Frankly, I truly fancy your recipe and want to pass it down as a family heirloom, which is why I'm willing to pay so much. Someone else might not be as interested. Your asking price is simply too high."
Zhang Tieshan felt his words were reasonable. While other grand restaurants had more money, they might not be willing to pay this price. After all, wine was not their sole focus. Dongjia, on the other hand, made his money primarily from selling wine and would value this recipe more.
Two thousand taels of silver was not a small sum. With it, he could buy a courtyard and a shop in the city, and they could live on rental income alone.
Suddenly, a voice was heard from outside, "Madam, you cannot go in there. That is our Dongjia's study."
As the voices grew closer, both men showed expressions of confusion. A moment later, the study door was kicked open. Seeing the woman entering, Zhang Tieshan pointed at her with trembling fingers as if he had seen a ghost, "You... why are you here?"
Wu Caiwei said disdainfully, "If I didn't come, you would have sold our family's recipe."
Then she looked at Liu Dongjia, smiling, "The recipe he wants to sell you is ours. How much silver does he want from you? I only want half, and the recipe I give you will be even better than his. After all, it's I who have been making and selling wine in Pingli."
Liu Dongjia was overjoyed. Although he didn't know their relationship, Zhang Tieshan's expression told him it was not ordinary.
Upon hearing this, Zhang Tieshan, feeling like a duck caught and about to fly away, immediately stepped in front of Liu Dongjia and anxiously said, "She's asking you for a thousand taels, I only need five hundred taels, and I'll teach you everything I know." Su Dan Novel Network
Wu Caiwei looked at him mockingly, "How ridiculous. What do you know? A thousand taels is a thousand taels. I won't sell for a single coin less. If you sell the recipe to him, I'll open a small tavern myself and watch you make money."
In this short time, Liu Dongjia could tell that the lady before him was the true expert. He quickly signaled his bewildered steward to escort Zhang Tieshan out.
With only the two of them left, Liu Dongjia bowed deeply to her, "I will bring the thousand taels of silver shortly. Please, Madam, teach me."
Wu Caiwei didn't stand on ceremony and went directly to the backyard. In front of him, she began brewing wine. Fortunately, the ingredients were all readily available, saving a lot of effort. She could tell at a glance which ones were made by Zhang Tieshan, and she added two more steps to his base.
As soon as the wine was made, both of them looked up and were stunned by the scene before them. Dozens of people had gathered not far away. Seeing their eager faces, Wu Caiwei took the initiative and asked the shopkeeper to bring their wine cups, pouring a little for each person.
Everyone eagerly began to taste. They had gathered here because they were attracted by the aroma of the wine. After the first sip, everyone involuntarily gave a thumbs up. Wu Caiwei took the opportunity to advertise her small tavern, "This is a new product that our establishment will be launching soon. We hope all lords will patronize us then."
Upon hearing that there would be more to drink later, everyone's faces lit up with joy, and they nodded in agreement, "Certainly, certainly."
One of the more impatient ones, with a craving, said, "Dongjia Liu, why wait? Sell me the rest of the wine today. Name your price, I want to quench my thirst. This little bit isn't even enough to fill my teeth."
Liu Dongjia quickly stepped forward to apologize, "Esteemed Mr. Li, it's not that I'm unwilling to oblige. We are also researching and exploring if we can make even better wine. It is our honor that you like our wine, but as you can see, all the lords wish to buy. Whom should I sell to? I cannot afford to offend any of you, so I hope you understand my predicament."